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| "Rev Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales at the vote for women bishops." Photo: WalesOnline |
According to media reports today (here) the Church of England’s first woman bishop has been chosen. That must be one in the eye for the Archbishop of Wales. The Church in Wales won the race in the vote for women bishops but Dr Morgan has lost the chance to appoint the first woman bishop in England and Wales.
"This time, the bishops proposed a two-stage process – holding a vote on the principle of women bishops but not appointing any until the constitution was amended to establish provisions for traditionalists. But Archdeacon Peggy Jackson and Canon Jenny Wigley tabled an amendment which opposed this two-stage compromise. Under their proposal, women could be appointed a year after the vote and the bishops would establish a code of practice to ensure that “all members of the Church in Wales” have a “sense of security in their accepted and valued place. When asked if he tried to persuade them not to take this action, Dr Morgan said: “It’s not my job to persuade people to do things which are against their conscience." [My emphasis - Ed.]
It was suggested that the 2008 rejection of female bishops in the Church in Wales was one of the most disappointing moments in Archbishop Barry Morgan’s time at the helm of the Anglican church. Perhaps that accounts for his vindictiveness towards anyone who disagrees with him by simply excluding them.
Postscript
And the winner is.................................
The Reverend Libby Lane who lists her main interests as being a school governor, encouraging social action initiatives, learning to play the saxophone, supporting Manchester United, reading and doing cryptic crosswords. Par for the course! Reports here and here.
Also said to be in the running for the post were the Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, 53, chaplain to the House of Commons and a chaplain to the Queen, the Very Rev Vivienne Faull, 59, Dean of York Minster and the Very Rev Dr Jane Hedges, 58, Dean of Norwich.
One would have thought a mere suffragan post beneath them so a case for discrimination seems unlikely to arise.
To recap, the Archbishop expressed delight at the result when Church in Wales voted to accept women bishops adding ominously that "he now hopes the church will have the courage to embrace further change". From the WalesOnline report after the vote:
It was suggested that the 2008 rejection of female bishops in the Church in Wales was one of the most disappointing moments in Archbishop Barry Morgan’s time at the helm of the Anglican church. Perhaps that accounts for his vindictiveness towards anyone who disagrees with him by simply excluding them.
Postscript
And the winner is.................................
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| Source: Getty Images |
Also said to be in the running for the post were the Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, 53, chaplain to the House of Commons and a chaplain to the Queen, the Very Rev Vivienne Faull, 59, Dean of York Minster and the Very Rev Dr Jane Hedges, 58, Dean of Norwich.
One would have thought a mere suffragan post beneath them so a case for discrimination seems unlikely to arise.
As with most things in the Church in Wales this is a typical case of ‘talk the talk’ but not doing ‘walk the walk’. The fact is that no one on the Bench has the courage of his convictions. Clearly they don’t want to appoint a woman to the Bench. Cowards!
ReplyDeleteOf course, the quickest way to promote at least the possibility of a woman diocesan bishop in Wales would be for a member of the existing bench to take early retirement ... or not so early retirement ....
ReplyDeleteOh dear, that has poured a few gallons of wee-wee on Bazzer’s bonfire! He so wanted to the first archbishop in the UK to consecrate a lady bishop. And now it will never happen because the Bench-sitters will not budge and he can’t get rid of his Ass. One of His Grace’s brother bishops was recently over heard suggesting that the talent pool was very shallow in Wales from which to appointment the first lady bishop. Surely Shirley you can’t be serious?
ReplyDeleteHe can still appoint one and be first, but he'd better hurry. Remember how fast Ambrose of Milan got promoted: in eight days from baptism to bishop.
ReplyDeleteSaint Alban: just a few days between conversion and martyrdom
ReplyDeleteDarth ++Insidious should do Llandaff a huge favour, become a martyr and tee off on the holy links.
ReplyDeleteThe talent pool in Wales is indeed low - and let's see if Barry and the Bench Sitters are tempted to emulate the latest scandal to hit the C of E (the quasi Alan Sugar 'Apprentice' style business school for budding bishops). I guess Barry would consider squandering £2m on a dodgy idea like this as small change. No need to get approval from the GB - or anyone else for that matter. The real reason why the talent pool in Wales is low is that the talented clergy have left for the C of E! 20% of stipendiary clergy in the Diocese of Bangor now serve in the C of E. All graduates of 'proper' universities (i.e. not the St Seriol's/Glyndwr university kind of kindergarten), all Welsh-speaking, all doing good jobs in their various spheres. Anyone care to suggest why the C of E recognised their talent but the Bench Sitters did not?
ReplyDelete